Doughton Park Field Trip

Join the Blue Ridge Chapter for a flower-filled field trip at Doughton Park on Saturday, July 31! Doughton Park is the largest recreation area along the Blue Ridge Parkway and is located between mile markers 238.5 – 244.7. It features about 30 miles of trails through a variety of wildflower meadow and forest habitats, and several historic structures, such as Brinegar Cabin with its demonstration garden showcasing what early settlers would have grown and survived on. We will have multiple activities throughout the afternoon so you can join us for just a brief walk or a longer hike, depending on your preference and abilities.

At 1 PM, we will meet in the parking lot at Bluff’s Lodge for a 3-mile hike along the Bluff Mountain Trail to Brinegar Cabin. This is one of the featured hikes in Kevin Adams’ book “North Carolina’s Best Wildflower Hikes” and it offers some uncommon wildflowers in both meadow and forest settings as well as scenic views along the Parkway. The trail traverses fairly level terrain and should be easy to moderate in difficulty. Please bring appropriate clothing and footwear, along with water and snacks you may need for the hike.

At 4 PM, we will meet up with ranger Julie Mullis at Brinegar Cabin for a stroll around the area to learn about plant uses. If you did not feel up for the longer hike, feel free to join us here! We will carpool back from Brinegar Cabin to Bluff’s Lodge so hikers can catch a ride back to their cars.

At 5 PM, we will meet in the parking lot at Bluff’s Lodge again to spend the final hour of our program botanizing around the wildflower meadow a short walk from the parking area. You can’t miss it – it’s the one with the spectacular display of dense blazing star in bloom. Check out the video below for the butterflies and other pollinators that enjoy these flowers.

If you are interested in sticking around for sunset, you could bring a picnic basket or check out the newly opened Bluff’s Restaurant (Dinner: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., reservations strongly encouraged).

1. Directions to Bluff’s Lodge: Going north on the Parkway, turn right across from the Doughton Park visitor center and restaurant at milepost 241.1 and take the road uphill to Bluff’s Lodge.

2. Directions to Brinegar Cabin: Going north on the Parkway, turn right into the Brinegar Cabin parking lot at milepost 238.5.

(Click on map to enlarge.)